Sydney Marrero '17

Major: Marketing 

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Current City: Miami, Florida

 

Describe your current job role:

I am the marketing administrator for ORIGIN PC. ORIGIN PC specializes in high-end custom PCs that are perfect for gaming and professional work. My role is to assist our Marketing Manager in working with our partners on co-branded marketing activities, and to assist our Events Coordinator in creating work orders for PC systems used for marketing events and sponsorships. Since the start of my career at ORIGIN PC, my role has grown into assisting our Community Lead with managing relations with our sponsored influencers, editing video content as marketing collateral, and even being featured as a co-host from time to time on our ORIGIN PC LIVE show. My role is constantly growing and I look forward to what the future has in store for me at ORIGIN PC.

 

What professional experience(s) did you have prior to your current job role?

I had multiple internships during my time at PBA. From these internships I gained experience in developing marketing campaigns and programs, content creation for marketing collateral, communicating with business partners, organizing events, and more. The internships that prepared me the most for my current job role were with the Palm Beach Tech Association and South Florals LLC.

 

What do you know now that you wish you had known about being a working professional?

Something that I learned on my journey to becoming a working professional is to not allow yourself to be easily discouraged when trying to land the first job of your career and to be open to whatever God has in store for you. When I graduated from PBA, I had envisioned myself landing a job within two months for any marketing agency. However, things didn’t go as I planned and I went through many job applications and interviews with marketing agencies well beyond my 2 month timeline. I was in a waiting season, but I didn’t let it go to waste. I read books and listened to podcasts that allowed me to further develop my professional persona and work ethic. Determined to work with and learn from marketing experts, I continued applying to new marketing agencies. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon an opening with ORIGIN PC that I decided to give something other than a marketing agency a try. I applied to my current position, and sure enough I was chosen for it. Before entering the workforce, I didn’t expect that I would end up in the gaming industry as a marketing professional, but I am extremely grateful God had it planned from the start. It has been a joy working for ORIGIN (especially because I grew up in a family that loves to game), and has been by far better than what I had planned for myself. Therefore, don’t be afraid to apply to an opening that interests you, but might not be at all what you have planned for yourself. Be patient, trust God, and always keep learning during any waiting season.

 

How did PBA prepare you for the world of work?                                

PBA has prepared me for the world of work by equipping me with crucial leadership, project management, and communication skills. During my time at PBA I held leadership roles with ILT and Fleet (Welcome Week) that taught me the value of being flexible in my work ethic. As a student, I had my fair share of marketing presentations that have sharpened me to become an effective communicator. Through clubs and mentorship programs, PBA provided me with opportunities to learn from local business leaders, and equipped me with resources that helped me identify my professional persona.

 

What advice would you give to current PBA students and/or young alumni who are about to start their first professional full-time job?

Advice I would give is to not allow yourself to be focused on doing only what your job role comprises of. Don’t be afraid to take on new tasks or help out a colleague with a project that might be out of your comfort zone or expertise because you never know what opportunities that could open for you. Allow yourself to be flexible and never stop learning. Discover the purpose of your professional career and allow that to fuel your passion for any job role you may have.

 

Have you been mentored by anyone in your professional field since entering the workforce?  If so, what impact has that had on you?

During my last semester at PBA I was mentored by Jayson Schmidt, and I am very grateful for those mentor/mentee meetings we had before I graduated from PBA. He shared encouragement, wisdom, insights, and his professional experiences that have inspired my work ethic and the type of marketing professional that I am and continue to strive to be.   

For current updates from Sydney visit her LinkedIn profile.